Ashee b



(No Model.)

A. B. STEVENS.

UMBRELLA SUPPORT.

Patented May 1, 1888.

I IWV'EJVTOR. %zw QL/ UNITED TATES ATENT OFFICE.

ASHER B. STEVENS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

U M BRELLA-SUPPO RT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,118, dated May 1, 1888.

Application filed August30,1887. ScrlalNo. 248,274. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ASHER B. STEVENS, a citizen of theUnited States, residing atBrooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Umbrelia'Sup'ports, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to those devices used upon childrens carriages which have a parasol, umbrella, or canopy for the top for holding the standard or rod of such top in adjusted position,vertical, lateral, or backward and forward, to protect the occupant of the carriage from the suns rays or the weather. Such devices are commonly termed umbrella supports or holders, and my device will be herein referred to under such terms.

Theinvention consistsina universal joint, so called, for clamping the umbrella rod or standard in any desired position, as I will-now proceedtomoreparticularlyset forth and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figurel is a front elevation; Fig.

. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section; Fig. 4, a top view; Fig. 5, a front view; Fig. 6, a transverse section of the clamping members of the joint, taken in the plane of line mm, Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modification of one member of the clamping device.

The bracket or stand a may be of any approved construction. I have herein shown it as composed of a bow or arch, b, having attaching-feet c c 0, whereby the device may be secured to the back of a carriage. The bow I) has an internally-screw-threaded boss, d,which receives a thumb-screw, e.

I designate the clamping device or universal joint as a whole by the letter f, and this clamping device consists of a member, 9, made in the form of an annulus and provided with laterally-projecting lugs 71, which find bearings in slots z in the bow. By means of these lugs hhaving their bearings in the slotted bow the said member g has a rotary motion in said bow in the direction of arrowlin Fig. 2. The other member, j, of this clamping device is provided with a transverse opening, k, of a diameter sufficient to receive the rod or standard Z, which is used to support the para- .sol or umbrella or canopy, and this memberj is provided with depending lugs m, of adiatn eter just sufficient to neatly fit within the member 9, so as to permit the free rotation of the member 9' therein. The adjacent faces of the members 9 and j are made flat and are adapted to come into contact, so that the rod Z will be held within the opening it in the memberj by pressure against the face of the member g. The rod is held in any desired position when the set-screw e is turned down upon the mem ber j, so as to force said member against the member g. The point of this set-screw bears against the member j, and preferably in a way, a, sunk in the head of said memberj. The object in providing the way it is to prevent the escape of the member j when the set screw is loosened.

Instead of making the face of the member 9 flat, it may be provided with a series of notches or corrugations, 0, (see Fig. 7,) and when this form of the member 9 is used the rod Zwill be laid in one or the other of these notches 0, and thus said notches will cooperate with the recess or opening in the member j to hold the rod. Of course when the member 9 is provided with the notches 0 it will not be necessary to use so deep an opening is in the member j. 7 will be most advantageously used when the rod is of considerable size and the parasol or umbrella or canopy heavy. It simply assures a firmer grasp of the rod.

As already stated, the member 9 has a rotary motion in the direction of arrow 1 in Fig. 2. This will permit the adjustment or inclination of the rod in that direction or the reverse of it. The member j has a rotary motion at right angles to this motionthat is to say, in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 2-so that the rod, and of course the canopy attached thereto, may have an inclination laterally of the carriage, or in the direction indicated by arrow 3 in Fig. 1. Itis obvious that This form of memberg (shown in Fig.

the member j rotates with the memberg in the direction of arrow 1, and it is equally obvious that in order to rotate the member j in the direction of arrow 2 the set-screw will have 'to be loosened, and that the memberg does to direct the member j in its rotation and prevent its lateral displacement. These alone will be sufficient for this purpose without the addition of the recess n, in which the screw 5 plays; but I prefer to use both precautionary means.

I do not limit my invention to its application to childrens carriages, as it is obvious that with modified forms of brackets or stands a the device might be used for a like purpose on other vehicles and on other apparatus than vehicles.

What I claim is- 1. A bracket or stand and a universal joint journaled therein and-composed of an annulus provided with journaling'lu gs rotatable in said bracket or stand, and a clamping-member fitted to said annular member and rotatable in a plane at right angles to the plane of rotation of the annular member and adapted to receive and hold a rod, substantially as described.

2. A bracket or stand provided with a slotted bow and a set-screw, combined with a universal joint composed of a rotatable member journaled in said slotted bracket and another member fitted to said first-named member and provided with an opening or recess to receive the thing to be supported and clamped, and rotatable with the first-named member and also at right angles to its plane of rotation,

substantially as described.

3. The annular member g, having laterallyprojecting lugs h, combined with the member j, having an opening, k, and lugs m, fitted in said annular member, abracket provided with 31 bearings for said lugs, and a set-screw, substantially as set forth.

4. A bracket or stand combined with a universal joint composed of a rotatable member,

9, having bearings in said bracket or stand, c and a second member, j, fitted to rotate with said rotatable member and also having an in dependent rotation of its own, and also provided with an opening or recess to receive the thing to be clamped, and a set-screw arranged 5 in the bracket or stand and bearing against the last-named member to force it and the device contained in its recess against the face of the first-named member to clamp and hold the said device at any desired inclination or ele- 5c v'ation, substantially as described.

5. The bracket or stand combined with a universal joint composed of a rotatable memher, 9, having the notched or corrugated face, and a second member having a recess to receive the thing to be clamped and cooperating with said'notched first-named member in holding and retaining the said thing to be clamped, and a clamping-screw, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have heren nto set my hand this 29th day of August, A. D. 1887.

ASHER B. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

JOHN HOYER, GILBERT F. MoGLoIN. 

